Rock with Me (With Me in Seattle, #4)(63)

“Well then, there’s no need to have sex,” Lori comments, and bites her lip as she tries not to laugh.

“True,” I agree and nod thoughtfully. “It’s a good thing he’s horrible in bed.”

Leo’s eyebrows climb into his messy hairline and all the guys laugh, doubled over.

“Oh, man, I knew it!” Eric points at him and then slaps his knee.

“Is that so?” Leo asks me, sets his beer down on a table, and saunters over to me.

I shrug and clench my lips together, fighting laughter.

“I think,” he grips my hand and pulls me to my feet, then bends and lifts me onto his shoulders. “You deserve to be punished for that.”

“Oh, shit, Leo do not throw me in the pool! I don’t have any other clothes with me!”

“Too late!”

And suddenly I’m flying through the air and into the warm water with a loud splash. I kick my way to the surface of the water, sputtering and pushing my hair out of my face, glaring up at the impossibly handsome man laughing down at me.

“You’re an ass!” I hiss at him.

“Ass!” Maddox repeats, earning more laughter.

“Here, I’ll pull you out.” Leo squats by the side of the pool and offers me his hand. I reach up and take it, plant my foot on the side of the pool, and yank him into the water with me, much to the delight of our audience.

Before I can turn around, I’m yanked under the water, and then tugged back to the surface so I can catch my breath. Leo’s face is inches from my own, his hair wet and pressed to his scalp. Water is dripping down his face, off the piercings in his ear and eyebrow, his plain black tee is clinging to his shoulders.

“God, you’re sexy,” I whisper and his eyes grow hot with lust. He yanks me to him and kisses me hard, thoroughly, his arms holding me to him tightly and his hands pressed to my sides. He pushes me against the side of the pool and devours me with his lips and all I can do is hold on for dear life.

Finally, he pulls back and grins down at me, panting. “You’re gonna pay for that remark.”

“Gladly,” I agree and laugh as he splashes me.

“Food’s ready, moron,” Gary calls down to Leo. “Lori do you have clothes for Sam?”

“Uh, probably not, Gary,” I respond as Lori laughs and I pull myself out of the pool. “I don’t know if you noticed, but Lori and I couldn’t be more different.”

“You could go naked,” Eric offers with a grin. Leo smacks him upside the head.

“Shut the f*ck up.”

“Fuck up!” Maddox agrees.

“I’m gonna kill all of you,” Lori growls.

***

“You know, I have to tell you.” Lori leads me through the house to the master bedroom so I can borrow a tee shirt and pair of yoga pants. “I was so proud of the way you handled Melissa the other day.”

“I heard about that!” Cher nods. “Most people don’t stand up to her.”

“How do you guys deal with always being in the tabloids?” I ask them without thinking.

“You know about being in the tabloids,” Lori remarks.

“Yeah, but I’m getting the feeling it’s different with rock stars than actors.”

“The guys told Melissa that we are never to be included in publicity stuff.” Cher confides as Lori tosses me clothes to change into.

“Really?”

“Yep,” Lori agrees. “No family photos are to be released. Melissa knows better.”

“She just wanted the scoop on getting the first photos out there of Leo and his new flame.”

“First flame,” Lori adds. “I don’t think that Leo’s ever been photographed with a woman.”

“Never?” I frown in disbelief. “That’s hard to believe. I’m sure he’s had girlfriends.”

“I don’t know.” Cher shrugs. “But if he did, he never took them out. He’s a really private guy.”

“We’re lucky.” Lori nods. “Our guys are all about the music and the fans. The rest of it is all frills, and they don’t really play into it too much. They play the publicity game when they have to, but…” She shrugs.

“I like that,” I mutter thoughtfully.

“I thought you might.” Lori grins. “Leo’s the best. He’ll have your back.”

We join the guys back on the patio, already eating and talking about music and bands and who has what single coming out when.

I sit quietly, nibbling on salad and steak soaking it all in. These guys are just so… normal. And kind.

“What are you thinking?” Leo whispers into my ear and offers me a bite of his steak.

“I like them,” I whisper back and he smiles widely.

“I’m glad.” He kisses my forehead and goes back to eating his dinner and chatting with his band, and it occurs to me, I just made friends who don’t give a shit who my brother is or what family I come from.

Imagine that.

***

“So tired,” I yawn and lean back in the seat of Leo’s car as we drive back to the ugly Malibu house from Lori and Gary’s late that night. We stayed much later than I expected we would, chatting and laughing. The guys also got a little work done, talking song selection for the next album.